Bordeaux, France
24-12-2010
Hands down this place has to be the best place in all of Bordeaux for experiencing the best wines of the region. Visiting the chateau themselves cannot be substituted, but not even in the States can I think of a place where you can taste so many great wines in one location. They offer a range of some 50 or so of most of the best Bordeaux wines in production, in a clean well conceived environment. I thought even the general map of the region on one of the walls to help tasters understand the region a bit was brilliant in a modern sort of way. Looking back now as I begin to recount my experiences it makes me wonder why other regions have not come up with this idea. So if anyone wants to invest I will create for them the best wine tasting room out there for their region! Napa Valley, hello???? I mean San Francisco has The Press Club, where you can experience wine country without leaving the city, but their focus is a bit different than the Max Wine Gallery.
Here is how it works. You load a tasting card, 25 Euro increments, and each wine is set up on an Argon gas preservation chamber. You know, the fancy wine dispensing cabinets that are becoming oh so popular these days. They are sheek, expensive, and a sign of meaning business. Overall they are a good system, but like anything else, I am a purest and feel that introducing anything, if possible, should not be done. But to support this volume I understand the method. And though the system does mostly work for preserving the wines for longer than normal, I have found that it only prolongs life for a bit. As I will highlight through my tastings here, 3 of the 20 wines I visited I did find were sitting for too long. With that said I still highly recommend this Gallery as the best place in Bordeaux to taste wines. Just do what I did, look for nearly full bottles and ask if anything had been replaced that day, simple right?
I am also going to divide up my tastings of the 20 wines into 4 installments to make it easier, and highlight different topics for ease for you. With this I will begin to add to the resource bar and begin to post my regional descriptions section so that as you read along about the wines you can learn a bit about Bordeaux, a little at a time, to better grasp the wealth of information this famous region holds. I mean let’s face it, Bordeaux is the most famous red wine, and dessert wine, region in the world now (sorry Napa Valley).
And so with this first posting I thought a good place to begin would be with would be the value wines that I aimed to try. This is of course all relative, but I found these wines to be of more approachable cost points. It is also a mixture of wines from the Left Bank, the Right Bank, and Graves. If this sounds like a foreign language it will be clearer as you go through the study guide summary for Bordeaux! And so let us begin by talking about some wine…
1) Chateau Carbonnieux Pessac Leognan-Graves Rouge 2006
I found this wine online for about $30 U.S. at various outlets, so it is out there. They are classified Grand Cru Classe in the Graves for both their red and white 1st labels.
The wine was Daybright with a medium garnet color, clear although barely transparent with a medium plus concentration. The rim was youthful with only the beginning of variation forming. The tears were solid, medium plus viscosity, and showing firm signs of staining.
The nose was of a mellow intensity, showing signs of candied red cherries and warm gravelly soils. The flavors were subtle and uncomplicated, with a palate that was straightforward with tart red fruits in the forefront.
88 Points Wine Spectator
http://www.carbonnieux.com/
2) Chateau Haut Bailly Pessac Leognan-Graves Rouge 2006
Another accessible wine as it is still definitely in the value category. It is another classified Grand Cru Classe for reds from Graves.
The wine is Starbright with a brilliant garnet color, deep and clear with a medium plus concentration. The rim still holds much youth but is beginning to lighten and vary, whereas the tears are showing staining on a moderate viscosity.
The nose has a medium intensity to the nose, but is pure and complex. Dark red fruits and fresh blackberries support, but hide behind, loads of dark cool earth components accented by a light hand of smoky oak.
The palate is long and persistent with the same fruits throughout with a pleasant addition of a dark violet florality and a tinge of liquorice on the finish. I really found this wine to be a great quality/value wine! A winner indeed.
92 Points Wine Spectator
http://www.chateau-haut-bailly.com/
3) Chateau Petit Village Pomerol 2006
This is another wine that I felt would be fairly accessible, and was at a very attractive price in the shop, under 30 Euro, one of their least expensive wines being poured in fact. Unfortunately the bottle had been opened too long and greatly affected by over-oxygenation. A shame.
88 Points Wine Spectator
http://www.petit-village.com/
4) Chateau Calon Segur Saint Estephe 2006
A chateau I always find consistent and of good quality. Classed in the 1855 Medoc rating system as the only 3rd Growth from the commune of St. Estephe, making it the 3rd best chateau in the whole region behind only Estournel and Montrose. For about $60 U.S. a bottle, that’s a good value.
The wine is has a simple brightness with a clear deep ruby color and medium concentration. The rim is youthful with the beginning onset of variation. The tears are only lightly stained and the viscosity is medium plus.
A wine with a moderate intensity to the nose, displaying the power of Cabernet and the rustic tinge that St Estephe can display. The nose has a warm dark potting soil earthiness with dark fruits and flowers to compliment. There is an undertone of sweet vanillin from the French oak as well.
The palate shows a purity and balance throughout, with dark red fruits and dark earth running through. There is also a hint of mint emerging around the rustic qualities of this wine. Firm tannins that will improve with a bit of time.
92 Points Wine Spectator
5) Chateau d’Armailhac Pauillac 2003
This is a property that is adjacent to and currently owned by Chateau Mouton Rothschild, a 1st Growth. Armailhac was classed as a 5th Growth in 1855. It can in a way be viewed as a way to get a glimpse into the style of Mouton. Also a fairly good value as you can usually find these wines for about $60 U.S.
The wine is Daybright with a clear ruby red color with medium concentration. Due to it being a bitter older than other selections the rim variation is more pronounced and there is definite softening of the color at the edge with a noticeable water line. The wine has moderate viscosity and soft staining of the tears.
There is an intensity to this wine which hints towards the warmth of the vintage. Dried red fruits of currants and cherries and plums dominate the subtle secondary flavors. These include leather and violets with some liquorice and spice tones.
The palate is again warm and rich with dried fruits, turning more to bright red berries. The tannins are firm but the acidity was well preserved to maintain the balance in this wine. The finish was long and intense with the secondary flavors being hinted at throughout. This was a nice surprise and, like the Haut Bailly, a winner of the value tasting at this stage.
91 Points Wine Spectator
http://www.bpdr.com/
So here we have the first round of tastings complete, covering each of the 3 regions of Bordeaux. In the next installment of the Max Wine Gallery tastings we are going to be covering wine strictly from the Right Bank. Salute!
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